Electronic device with wireless power control system

• US 9,602,919 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2013
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Caballero, Ruben, DiVincent, Michael, Sen, Indranil S., Schlub, Robert W., Narang, Mohit, Velasco, Ricardo R., Crowe, Christopher B., Vernon, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUTHERS, DOUGLAS JOHN
• Application Number:
  US13/886,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20140328488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 381/58, 381/334
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/02 using reflection of acoustic waves G01S15/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/539 using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0343 to be carried on the body
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3838 Arrangements for reducing RF exposure to the user, e.g. by changing the shape of the transceiver while in use
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/282 taking into account the speed of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An electronic device may include wireless circuitry that is configured to transmit wireless signals during operation. A maximum transmit power level may be established that serves as a cap on how much power is transmitted from the electronic device. Adjustments may be made to the maximum transmit power level in real time based on sensor signals and other information on the operating state of the electronic device. The sensor signals may include motion signals from an accelerometer. The sensor signals may also include ultrasonic sound detected by a microphone. Device orientation data may be used by the device to select whether to measure the ultrasonic sound using a front facing or rear facing microphone. Maximum transmit power level may also be adjusted based on whether or not sound is playing through an ear speaker in the device.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a microphone;

an ear speaker;

a radio-frequency antenna with which radio-frequency signals are transmitted with a transmit power that is capped at a maximum transmit power level; and

circuitry that adjusts the maximum transmit power level based at least partly on data from the microphone and at least partly in response to determining that no audio is being played through the ear speaker.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising a sound source that emits audio signals, wherein the circuitry is configured to measure the emitted audio signals with the microphone.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the circuitry is configured to compare the measured emitted audio signals to a predetermined audio signal threshold.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 3 wherein the circuitry is configured to raise the maximum transmit power level at least partly in response to determining that the measured emitted audio signals are more than the predetermined audio signal threshold.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 4 further comprising an accelerometer, wherein the circuitry is configured to gather motion information with the accelerometer that is associated with motion of the electronic device.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 5 wherein the circuitry is configured to compare the gathered motion information to a predetermined motion threshold.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 6 wherein the circuitry is configured to raise the maximum transmit power at least partly in response to determining that the gathered motion information is less than the predetermined motion threshold.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the electronic device has opposing front and rear sides with, respectively, a front facing microphone and a rear facing microphone and wherein the microphone with which the circuitry measures the audio signals is a selected one of the front facing microphone and the rear facing microphone.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the circuitry is configured to gather orientation data from the accelerometer and is configured to select the microphone with which to measure the audio signals from the front and rear facing microphones based on the gathered orientation data.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the audio source comprises a speakerphone speaker.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 10 further comprising a housing having opposing upper and lower ends, wherein the front-facing microphone and rear-facing microphone are located at the upper end and wherein the speakerphone speaker is located at the lower end.

12. A method of adjusting a maximum wireless signal transmit power level in a portable electronic device that caps maximum wireless signal transmit power from a wireless transmitter in the portable electronic device, comprising:

measuring audio signals with the portable electronic device;

measuring motion signals with the portable electronic device, wherein the measured motion signals include orientation data that reflects how the portable electronic device is oriented;

selecting which of multiple microphones to use in the portable electronic device to measure the audio signals based on the orientation data; and

at least partly in response to the measured audio signals and the measured motion signals, adjusting the maximum wireless signal transmit power level with the portable electronic device.

13. The method defined in claim 12 wherein the orientation data reflects how the portable electronic device is oriented with respect to the Earth.

14. The method defined in claim 13 further comprising transmitting ultrasonic sound with a speakerphone speaker in the electronic device, wherein measuring the audio signals comprises measuring the transmitted ultrasonic sound with a microphone in the electronic device that has been selected based on the orientation data.

15. The method defined in claim 14 wherein the microphone selected based on the orientation data is a downward facing microphone, the method further comprising:

determining whether sound is being played through an ear speaker in the electronic device; and

adjusting the maximum wireless signal transmit power based at least partly on whether sound is being played through the ear speaker.

16. The method defined in claim 15 wherein the multiple microphones comprise a front facing microphone and a rear facing microphone located on opposing sides of the portable electronic device and wherein measuring the transmitted ultrasonic sound with the microphone selected based on the orientation data comprises measuring the transmitted ultrasonic sound with a selected one of the front facing microphone and the rear facing microphone.

17. An electronic device, comprising:

a microphone that is configured to measure ultrasonic sound transmitted through a surface on which the electronic device is located;

a radio-frequency antenna with which radio-frequency signals are transmitted with a transmit power that is capped at a maximum transmit power level; and

circuitry that adjusts the maximum transmit power level based at least partly on data from the microphone, wherein the circuitry is configured to set the maximum transmit power level to a first level in response to determining that the microphone is gathering a first amount of the ultrasonic sound transmitted through the surface and the circuitry is configured to set the maximum transmit power level to a second level that is greater than the first level in response to determining that the microphone is gathering a second amount of the ultrasonic sound transmitted through the surface that is greater than the first amount of the ultrasonic sound transmitted through the surface.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 17 further comprising an accelerometer, wherein the circuitry is configured to gather orientation information from the accelerometer that indicates how the electronic device is oriented.

19. The electronic device defined in claim 18 further comprising:

an ear speaker, wherein the circuitry is configured to set the maximum transmit power level to a third level in response to determining that sound is playing through the ear speaker regardless of the amount of ultrasonic sound transmitted through the surface that is being gathered by the microphone, wherein the third level is greater than the first level and less than the second level.